The Poultry Keeper

humberboi · Joined: 31 Jul 2008 Posts: 4 Location: east yorkshire

Just had to dispatch my Sebright cock He was showing all the symptoms of mareks, exagerated walk, unsteady disorientated and collapsing after a few steps. the odd thing was he is into his second year.
does any body know if the virus which I believe is spread in the dander is contracted by inhalation or can be ingested. I am a bit worried since the seb coop is in the middle of my other fowl who free range all round it and if i move it will expose more feather dust droppings etc.
Is there anything I can sterilise with (sensibly) because at the moment I feel reluctant to get any more birds. the sebs were the last birds i introduced in March so am at a loss as to why this has happened after so long but nothing in the other birds.(Wyandottes)

Chris Kurzfeld · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 1712 Location: Carmarthenshire

I've posted this once but it disapeared for some reason! Lets try again.

Sorry about you chook - I don't know anything about mareks so hopefully someone will along soon who does. But if you are looking for something to sterilise the ground and coops then try Biosuper - it's a powder you sprinkle over the ground and on the floor/s of the coop/s. it's quite expensive, around £25 for a 20 kilo bag but you don't have to use much so it lasts quite a while. I use it every time I clean out and around the runs once a week - i also use it for lambing. There is another product called, I think, Stolasan (not sure if that is spelt right) which is similar. I get Biosuper from my local feed store. Good luck.

Pekinout · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 1219 Location: Cornwall

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/90/mareks-disease

That will tell you all you need to know about Mareks. Sorry to hear about your Sebright.

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3540 Location: Monmouthshire

Don't worry too much. Sebrights are prone to Mareks, and it doesn't mean that others will get it so long as the birds aren't confined. Obviously if they are cooped up, there's an increased risk of infection. The other birds have been exposed to it, and if they remain healthy, then they have a natural resistance. Accept the occasional loss to Mareks, and concentrate on the resistant birds.

humberboi · Joined: 31 Jul 2008 Posts: 4 Location: east yorkshire

thanks guys,
will have a good clean up and think i will steer clear of susceptible breeds.
Ted

Magpie · Joined: 28 Aug 2007 Posts: 667 Location: Norfolk

I have lost a bird to Mareks today (always your favourites that go isn't it Crying or Very sad

), not a known susceptible breed as far as I know - Dutch. My vet suggested that Virkon-S or F10 are worth using if you want to disinfect equipment and thought that Stalosan-F, which I use anyway, was worth trying too. Unfortunately with the long incubation period of Mareks I don't see what you can do to prevent it Sad

Just be prepared to dispatch any that show symptoms.

Tim Sad

Tarka · Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 421

Its a horrid complaint Sad

I lost two birds from it four years back and one was almost human like Crying or Very sad

You can treat chicks for it , but introducing them to poultry that's not been dosed up will lead to mereks with the older untreated birds .

It don't make seance to me , how one bird gets it whilst the others are immune

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3540 Location: Monmouthshire

Tarka - I am old enough to remember the days before children were immunised against the spotty diseases. In a class of 30, there'd always be a proportion who escaped infection. Same with birds.